


dog days

by words_unravel



Series: hurt/comfort bingo prompt fills (2010 card) [5]
Category: Bandom, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Monophobia, Non-Graphic Violence, Pets, fear of being alone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-02
Updated: 2010-12-02
Packaged: 2018-01-17 20:18:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1401154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/words_unravel/pseuds/words_unravel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[<i>prompt:</i> <span class="ljuser i-ljuser"></span><a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="http://hc-bingo.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://hc-bingo.livejournal.com/"></a><b>hc_bingo</b> - monophobia (fear of being alone)]<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	dog days

**Author's Note:**

> [ _a/n:_ the last of the horribly cheesy song-names-as-titles, promise.]

* * *

  
Spencer comes home two days early to find Bogart locked in the closet of the laundry room.

He spends the first fifteen minutes cuddling and talking to the Jack Russell, calming him down. The next ten minutes he spends trying to get his own anger under control. He cleans up the back corner of the closet, the one where Bogart had relieved himself. The entire time the dog stands in the door of the laundry room, whining pitifully, but not coming any further inside the room. He’s terrified and that makes Spencer wonder exactly how long the dog has been locked up and how many times it’s happened before now. He and Brendon have both been gone for nearly two weeks.

Those ten minutes he spends trying to quell his anger don’t work and the next twenty minutes are taken up with shouting at everyone at the pet-sitting agency. From the receptionist (to whom he apologizes before being transferred) to the on-call vet (who's appalled when Spencer can force himself to spit the story out between clenched teeth) to the owner. The owner caves to the tune of _sue your ass_ , finally giving Spencer all the contact information he needs.

For the next two hours Spencer’s on the phone with his lawyer, Bogart curled in his lap. After the first three times Bogart flattens himself against Spencer's legs but refusing to get down, Spencer stops yelling. That also makes it easier to discuss what actions should be taken, and once he hangs up, Spencer doesn’t move, just continues running his hand over Bogie's back. They both fall asleep on the couch.

*

He's two steps away from the front door before the howling starts.

Dropping his head, Spencer lets out a heavy sigh. Bogart hasn't let him out of his sight in the last three days, following him from room to room; scratching at the door of the bathroom until finally Spencer just leaves it cracked; and crawling into his lap anytime Spencer sits down on the couch.

And the dog absolutely _refuses_ to go into the laundry room. Not that Spencer can blame him really, but it's heart-wrenching to watch.

With another deep breath, Spencer turns back to the house. Dropping to his knees in the open doorway, he runs a hand over Bogart's head. The dog has both paws on Spencer’s knee, eyes wide as he stares up at Spencer. He scritches behind the dog's ear and mutters, "You're killing me, Smalls." The dog just whines and tries to move closer.

Brendon's dog is broken and Spencer has less than a week to fix him. He sighs, scooping Bogart up and rising.

"All right, all right." He looks down in time to get a slobbery kiss under his chin. Spencer grins. Bogart's awesome and Spencer's infinitely patient and also awesome. They can do this.

 

*

Bogart's low to the ground, belly dragging as he whines. His front paws are stretched out toward Spencer and his head is tucked between them.

Two days later and Spencer has managed to get the dog to crawl approximately six inches inside the laundry room. It’s approximately six inches further than the day before and about ten feet more than the day prior to that. Spencer counts it as a win.

Shuffling over to the laundry room door, he leans back and runs a hand over Bogart's back. It loses some of its tension and when Spencer rolls the treat in front of the dog’s nose, he even gets a half-hearted tail thwap against the floor.

"You did good, Bogie." At the sound of his name, the dog scoots closer and Spencer continues petting him.

For the millionth time over the last few days, Spencer wishes Brendon hadn't decided to head up to the mountains. He's not begrudging Brendon and Sarah spending time away together; they'd definitely needed it. Sarah is amazing with Brendon's schedule, all the heavy touring and so many days apart, but even this time the strain was showing.

So yeah, he doesn't resent them heading off together, but does it have to be where the telephone and internet access are pretty much non-existent?

Not that Spencer’s in any great hurry to tell Brendon that his dog’s been abused. Albeit not physically, but Bogart’s spent more time attached to Spencer than any other animal he’s ever seen. At least he can now take a piss without the dog staring at him, even though Spencer still finds Bogart curled up right outside the bathroom door. God, it makes Spencer's heart _hurt_. It also makes him want to punch things. A lot.

Spencer stands up, stepping wide as Bogart pops up under his feet. "Come on, let's go see what we can rustle up for dinner."

Bogart yaps an agreement and Spencer wanders down the hall toward the kitchen, laughing. They'll eat, watch a little TV, and try again later, Spencer decides. He can call his lawyer again, too.

*

"So is there a reason my dog is following you everywhere, Spencer?"

Although the words are spoken lightly, Spencer winces at the underlying hurt in Brendon's voice. And it's true, except for the first hour or so that Brendon had been home, Bogart's kept himself attached to Spencer. Leaning against the back of the couch, Spencer tucks his hands in his pockets and looks at Brendon.

There's a tiredness at the corners of Brendon's eyes that Spencer is curious about, but he puts off asking to answer Brendon’s question. He doesn't really know where to start though, so finally he says, "Go stand in the laundry room."

"What?"

"Just go stand in the laundry room and call your dog, Brendon."

"Spencer–"

"Brendon, just–." Something on his face must be convincing because Brendon frowns at Spencer, but starts moving. Spencer watches Bogart follow Brendon to the end of the couch, watching with sharp eyes as his owner heads down the hallway. The dog looks back at Spencer and his soft, "You can do it, Bogie," gets a quick tail-thump on the carpet before Brendon's voice echoes toward them.

"Okay, weirdo, I'm here."

"Call your dog."

Spencer can hear Brendon's frustrated sigh and then there's the whistle and Brendon's enthusiastic, "Bogie! Come here, boy! Come on!"

He follows as Bogart jumps up and takes off down the hall. About a foot away from the laundry room though, the dog skids to a stop, dropping down to his belly. Tucking his nose between his front paws, he does the same tell-tale wiggle up to the door. Brendon frowns in earnest and keeps calling. Spencer just watches it all.

Brendon drops to his knees, hand stretched out. "Hey, Bogie. Come on, puppy."

Bogart slides a few more inches along the floor. His belly hits the cool tile and he whines. Brendon looks up at where Spencer's leaning against the wall.

"What the fuck is wrong with my dog, Spencer?"

*

Half an hour later they're both sitting on the floor, just inside the door of the laundry room. Brendon's practically vibrating with anger. Bogart is lying between the two of them, nosing at Brendon’s hand and tense because Brendon's tense.

"Fuck." Brendon runs a trembling hand over his face. " _Fuck_. I just. How does someone–"

Bogart whines and Brendon automatically smoothes his hand over his fur. "Spence, I don't–I don't know what–"

Tone grim, Spencer replies, "It's taken care of, okay? Or it will be fairly soon. Trust me, that asshole won't know what hit him."

"My fist, if I ever see his face." Brendon scratches behind one of Bogart's ears and the dog turns and licks his wrist.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner, but I know there wasn't much reception up in the mountains. And you and Sarah needed the time." A look passes over Brendon's face, but it's gone before Spencer can make sense of it. He's about to ask about the trip when Brendon interrupts him.

"So you've been here since you got back?"

Spencer shrugs. "I actually got back into town a couple days earlier than I bargained for, so yeah, I thought I'd swing by and check on him. After I let him out, he kinda didn't like being by himself." He thinks about that first day, the howling. "He still doesn't really, but at least I can go to the bathroom by myself now."

Brendon looks infinitely sad and Spencer quickly adds, "But you're back, so now there's two of us to help him out." He reaches over and scratches Bogart's belly. The dog leans back, giving him more access and Spencer grins down at him. "Isn't that right, boy? Better in no time."

Brendon's silent and Spencer looks up to catch him staring. He raises an eyebrow, but Brendon just smiles and says, "You're a good friend, Spencer Smith."

There’s a blush starting to creep over his cheeks but Spencer smiles, ignoring it. "Yeah, yeah. You know it."

There’s a look in Brendon’s eyes that Spencer can’t quite decipher, but when they crinkle at the corners, he smiles back. There’ll be time to figure it out later.

 

**Author's Note:**

> [bingo master list (LJ)](http://prettykitty-fic.livejournal.com/15631.html)   
> 


End file.
